Tree cutter splits with payment and no work done

A warning about paying for work up front. A retired Omaha couple learned an expensive lesson by losing a lot of money while trying to save a little.

A worrisome hazard literally hung over the heads of Fred and Mary Josjor. A huge Maple tree in their back yard.Mary said, “I thought it was pretty dangerous. I always worried about a branch snapping because oh my gosh it was so big.”

But after paying Daniel Hoffer almost $2,300, the tree cutter split.Fred Josjor said, “It started off in April and we were still talking to this guy in July and still got no refund, got no money and he kept promising and promising and promising.”

Daniel Hoffer of Fence Masters Blair, Nebraska offered the couple a five percent discount if they paid for the whole job upfront. Mary Josjor said, “ I thought we got a chance to save $120 so lets go ahead and do it. But that was a big mistake.”

The tree cutter Daniel Hoffer, associated with Fence Masters of Blair, also asked the check be made out to him. Mary Josjor said, “Maybe that should have been a red flag also and maybe we should have said let’s just back off this and we’ll find somebody else, but we didn’t.”

The Better Business Bureau gives Fence Masters of Blair and Kennard, Nebraska an F rating. Jim Hegarty President of the Better Business Bureau said, “The grade is just for the pattern of taking money for jobs then not completing the work or in some cases not beginning the work at all.”

The couple hired another tree service to come in and do the job. But the project they initially thought they had saved money on cost them double.

Our check with the city found that Daniel Hoffer and Fence Masters of Blair are not licensed for tree removal in Omaha.

Hoffer did return a text from Six on Your Side. He claims to have paid another arborist to do the job but that person didn’t show up. Hoffer says he’s trying to get that money back to refund the customers. The Josjor’s filed a police report.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.